Improvement in children s bedclothes-retainers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE M. L. THOMPSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANI) E. L. CHILDS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDRENS BEDCLOTHES-RETAINERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,270, dated November 28, 1865; antedated November 20, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. L. THOMPSON, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful article which I term a Ohilds Bedclothes- Retainer, and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formi-ng` part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view ot' my invention, showing its application. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view showing Oneway of fastening the inner end ot' the article so that it may not hurt the childs neck.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Much annoyance and trouble are given to mothers and nurses by children and babies constantly getting uncovered at night, owing to their restlessness. The feetor hands ot' the children or babies are almost constantly in motion, and it is impossible to keep them covered unless one is continually watching them, and it' they are neglected and become uncovered serious colds are often the result, which many times, especially in the spring and winter seasons, develop into some ailment fatal to the child.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple means for retaining the bedclothes in place over the child or baby, no matter what position it may assume, and for this purpose I employ a ring or collar of suitable construction, to be placed around the childs neck, to which the bedclothes are attached.

'Io enable others to make and use my invention as represented in the drawings, I will proceed to describe it.

I take two pieces ot' cotton cloth or any other suitable material, A B, and stitch them together so as to leave channels or places a a for inserting the springs I employ for giving the shape or forni to the article. As a general thing, Ipropose using the common tlat spring used in hoop-skirts, as that is amarketable article and easily obtained; but I could use other things which would answer the same purpose-as, for instance, strips of whalebone or pieces of reed or rattan, and many other flexible articles, either metal or vegetable. After the material has thus been sewed and the springs inserted, I bind the edges with braid or ribbon g g, or some other material which will give the article a neat and tinished appearance. A short distance from one end of the ring or collar I attach a buckle, b, for receiving and retaining a strap, c, attached to the opposite end of the ring or collar; and I form a suitable sheath, d, on the inside of the ring or collar, or that next the neck of the child or baby, for securing the inner end of the ring, so that it may not chafe or injure the neck of the child or baby. On the outside front part of this ring or collar I attach two hoops, C C, through which strings previously secured to the blanket may be tied, as shown in red outline in Fig. l; but there are many ways other than this for fastening the blankets to the collar. For instance, they may be pinned or sewed, and in such case it would only be necessary to unbuckle the collar to release the child or baby.

A simple form of making my invention is dispensing altogether with the buckle and its attachments and sewing the ends ot' the collar together; but this must be large enough to slip over the head of the child or baby. rIhe blankets are, of course, fastened in some way similar to those suggested in the preceding paragraph.

Now the advantages of this article are apparent. The bedclothes or blankets having been secured tothe ring or collar, it is impossible for the child to get uncovered, no matter how much it kicks or throws about its arms. The clothes are secured to a collar around its neck, and must remain in place, and, what is of great importance, there is no liability of any accident to the child, for whichever way it turns still the clothes are retained; itt bitches up or down in the bed, yet the clothes follow it and are not thrown over its head, and there is therefore no liability of the child or baby getting smothered, which sometimes happens where the old method of tying the corners of the blankets to the head of the crib has been adopted, in which case the child is more likely than not to get down under the blankets thus held. My ring or collar is not liable to hurt What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as a new article of manufacture, is-

A ring or collar adapted to be placed around the neck of a child and to retain the bedclothes in place, substantially as described.

M. L. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, G. L. TOPLIFF.

4AIl 

